Clutch.



A. J. MORSE.

CLUTCH.

urmcuxox rum) 13110.6, 1905.

PATENTED APR. 9, 1907.

ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ARTHUR JACOB MORSE, OF TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOADELBERT P. HINE, OF TORRINGTON, CONNECTICUT.

CLUTCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 9, 1907.

Application filed December 6,1905. Serial No. 290,621.

mission-gearing, and particularly to clutch mechanism employed inconnection there with.

The object of the invention is to provide an extremely simple andefiective clutch of the positive locking type capable of trans mi ttingmotion when rotating in either direction and which may be gradually or,instantly thrown in or out under any load without appreciable shock,strain, or wear upon the coacting members thereof.

A clutch construction suitable for carrying my invention into effect isillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is asectional view taken transversely of the driving-shaft. Fig. 2 is asimilar View taken longitudinally thereof. Fig. 3 is a detailperspective view showing parts of one of the clutch members, and Fig. 4is a similar view of the guide-sleeve or bushing for the clutchoperating device.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 represents a shaft, and 2 a pulleymounted thereon. For purposes of description the shaft 1 will be hereinconsidered the driving member, and the pulley 2 the driven member; butit will be understood that the function of these parts may be reversed,if desired, as the clutch as herein embodied is of the positive lockingtype designed to transmit motion when rotating in either direction.

The hub 3 of the pulley or driven member 2 is enlarged and bored out toprovide an annular chamber or recess 4 around the driving-shaft in whichthe clutch parts are mounted, such chamber or recess being closed by acap 5, removably secured by.

screws 6;

The chamber 4, as shown in Fig. 1, is given a slightly elliptical-formor is otherwise formed so that opposite symmetrical portions shall beeccentrically disposed relatively to the axis of the driving member, andfitted to rotate freely therein there is a ring 7, which, as will appearlater on, serves, in

. ing-shaft.

efiect, as an extension or part of the drivingshaft. V

The particular construction of the ring is unimportant, it beingessential only that it shall be such as to permit requisite expansionand contraction thereof relatively to a cooperating element, hereinconveniently shown as the eccentrically-disposed wall of the chamber 4.

Preferably a sectional ring is employed, which is divided centrally orformed in halves, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the chamber 4 beingcorrespondingly formed with semicircular ends. These ring-sections maybe set loosely in the chamber 4 or yieldingly connected by springs 8 orother means tending to hold the same in closed relation about thedriving-shaft and clear of the wall of the chamber 4 when the clutch isrunning free.

The connection between the ring and the driving-shaft is such asto causethese parts to rotate together in either direction and at the same timepermit expansion of the ring that is to say, movement of thesectionsthereof radially outward in opposite directions into locked relationwith the recess of the driven member when the clutch is thrown in. Forthis purpose I preferably employ a construction and arrangement of partssubstantially as shown. hen the clutch-operating device is mountedexteriorly of the drivin -shaft, a sleeve or bushing 9 is interposedbetween the shaft and driven member and is secured to rotate with theshaft by a key 10. At diametrically opposite points the sleeve isprovided with radially-disposed slots 11. to receive pins or blocks 12,which are fitted loosely therein, with their outer ends entering notches13, formed in the ringsections, and their inner ends resting upon taperprojections 14 of a collar 15 of the clutch-operating device.

The collar 15 may be controlled in the usual manner by a yoked lever 16or otherwise and is slidingly mounted upon the driv- Slots 17, formed inthe shaft, register with similar slots 18 in the bushing to receive thetaper projections 14 of the sliding collar, the arrangement being suchthat when the collar is shifted toward the left as viewed in Fig. 2 theradially-disposed blocks 12 will be cammed outward, separatiiw thering-sections, as above described, and

i l r l establishing a driving connection between walls of-which areeccentrically disposed relathe driving and driven members of the clutch.Upon. reversing the movement of the collar the'ring-s'ections Will bemoved into closed relation by the action of the springs 8 or if springsare not employed by the cam-like action of the Wall of the recess,assuming that the rotation of the driving member is continued duringsuch reversal.

By making the chamber 4 sufficiently tight the clutch may be run in oiland all friction and wear on the parts thereby greatly reduced.

The operation, advantages, &c., of my invention will be apparent fromthe foregoing description.

Having thus described my invention, 1 claim- 1. A clutch comprising arotatable member provided with a chamber or recess hav ing oppositesymmetrical )ortions eccentrically arranged relatively to its axis, aring normally rotatable in the recess, and means for expanding the ringto substantially fit and fill said recess.

2. A clutch comprising a rotatable member provided with a chamber orrecess having opposite symmetrical portions eccentrically arrangedrelatively to its axis, a sectional ring normally rotatable in therecess, and means for movin the rin -sections radially of said axis tosu )stantially fit and fill said recess.

3. A clutch comprising a rotatable member recessed to form an annularchamber the opposing walls of which. are eccentrically disposedrelatively to each other, a two-part ring normally rotatable within therecess, and means for separating the parts of the ring during rotationthereof to substantially fit and fill said recess.

4. A clutch comprising a rotatable member having an elliptical chamberhaving opposite semicircular portions symmetrically disposed withrelation to the axis of the clutch, an expansible member normallyrotating free within said chamber and when expanded substantiallyfitting and. filling said chamber, and means for expanding said memberduring rotation thereof.

5. A clutch comprising a rotatable member having an elliptical chamberportions of which are eccentric to its axis, a sectional ring normallycontracted and rotating free wit iin said chamber, said sections conforming in number, size and configuration to the eccentric portions of saidchamber, and

means for forcing said sections into said eccentric portions tosubstantially fit and fill said chamber.

6. A clutch comprising a driving member, a driven member, said memberscombining to form an annular chamber the opposing tively to each other,a sectional ring normally rotatable within the chamber and each sec tioncorresponding in size and configuration to the eccentricallydisposedwalls, and

means for ex anding said ring to substantially fit and fill saidchamber.

7. A clutch comprising a driving member, a driven member, said memberscombining to form an intervening annular chamber open at one side andhaving the opposing walls thereof eccentrically disposed relatively toeach other, a removable cap closing the open side of the chamber,asectional clutchring normally rotatablewithin the chamber, and meansfor expanding said clutch-ring to substantially fit and fill saidchamber.

8.- A clutch comprising a rotatable member provided with adiametrically-elongated recess, a two-part rin normally rotatable withinthe recess, a s eeve secured to the driving-shaft and provided withradiallydisposed members coacting to separate the ring-sections, saidring sections when separated substantially fitting and filling saidrecess, and means forv operating said radiallydisposed members duringrotation thereof.

9. A clutch comprising a rotatable member provided with a non-circularrecess, a sectional ring normally rotatable within the recess andexpansible to substantially fit and fill said recess, means foryieldingly uniting the ringsections, radially-disposed members coactingwith the ringsections,' and means for imparting rotary and radialmovement to said sections through the radially-disposed members.

10. A clutch comprising a rotatable member recessed to form an ovalchamber having semicircular ends, a normally circular two part ring insaid chamber and each part stantially corresponding in size andconfiguration to the semicircular ends of said chamber, and means forseparating the parts of. said ring during rotation thereof to substan-ARTHUR JACOB MORSE.

Witnesses:

W. H. PUMPHREY, GHARLEs D. GREEN.

